Strategic foresight training - School of International Futures

Image credit: Zoom Portraits. Julia Thaxton.

Virtual training courses

Registration for the course is currently closed to individuals. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss running a virtual training course for your organisation or have bespoke learning needs

The course is designed for those that lead a team to deliver long-term strategy, innovation or risk management programmes. There are only 20 places available.

The 8-week course offers you the chance to:

Understand how foresight is used to manage uncertainty.
Better embody the mindset of a futurist and communicate the value of futures.
Expand your approaches to long-term thinking through a structured four-stage approach.
Harness the power of foresight in your organisation to improve decision-making.
Gain hands-on experience with foresight tools and add them to your professional practice, including horizon scanning, systems mapping, scenario development, three horizons and more

The virtual course covers the same topics as our 5-day retreat but over a longer period. It is spread over 8 weeks, which requires you only to commit four to six hours each week.

If you have questions or are interested in joining the virtual course, please contact us at +44 (0) 300 302 0486 or email us at learning@soif.org.uk.

Download the course brochure

Hear from Marius Oosthuizen, SOIF’s Learning and Transformation Practice Lead talk about the Strategic Foresight Virtual Course.

Are you interested in finding out more?

Let us know your name, where you’re from, and when you’re free for a 15-minute chat. We’d be happy to respond to your questions.

Tell me more

Discounts

Discounts are available for multiple bookings from the same organisation.

Testimonials

We are very satisfied! We very much appreciated your collegiality, flexibility, and creativity in thinking about how to adapt your courses to our context and to the online environment.

The training and development I received from SOIF has inspired me to continue with my own personal development, but also motivated me to continue to improve the credibility of futures and foresight tools and techniques within government.
Head of Futures and Strategic Analysis for the Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre

What is involved

The online course includes 30 hours of contact time over eight weeks. The teaching is done live. Group learning sessions will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you miss a session, you’ll be able to catch up, but you will get the most from the course if you attend the sessions.

The course provides a mix of teaching, discussion, and practical exercises building through five modules to final team presentations on a topical challenge.

SOIF seems to have pivoted to virtual with remarkable grace. I just sent two of my very best people to your online course and they loved it.
Economist Intelligence Unit

What you’ll learn

Introduction Overview of the course and the topical challenge, meet your cohort, as well as set learning objectives.

Module 1 Think like a futurist: principles for practice, SOIF four-stage process, and developing a futures mindset.

Module 2 Scoping futures work. Introduction to horizon scanning.

Module 3 Ordering: from drivers of change to systems thinking and alternative futures.

Module 4 Investigating implications and identifying strategic choices.

Module 5 Integrating: foresight as an ongoing practice in creating future-ready organisations

Next steps Learning and development. Next steps on your foresight journey.

You’ll spend time between sessions to reflect, learn about upcoming topics and complete practical work. The course also includes three group learning sessions with an executive coach.

SOIF’s training stands out from other foresight courses and conferences. In this inward looking world, they bring exceptional diversity to the conversation.
European Commission

Who should attend

Participants in our courses tend to work in strategy, policy, leadership and analytical roles in governments, NGOs, international organisations and businesses. Previous participants include representatives from the Centre for Strategic Futures, Singapore; Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs; International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC); UK Cabinet Office, Go-Science, DEFRA, DCMS and Ministry of Defence; Garten Rothkopf; Economist Intelligence Office; National Commission of Security, Mexico; NSquare; Save the Children; Shell Global; the African Public Policy and Research Institute; and the United Nations.

SOIF is a community — whether you are a foresight practitioner, user or commissioner, we help you build connections with people working to solve the same challenges you face.

“The course helped provide a great foundation on practicing foresight. I will take what I’ve learned and leverage methods that are not often used in the entertainment industry.”
Exec Director, Insights and Analysis, Global Media company

Price and registration

Price:

Non-profit: £3250* per place
Corporate: £4600* per place

* This includes all learning and development sessions before, during, and after the event, group mentoring sessions, and access to the online facilitation platform during and for 6 months after the course. Prices excl. VAT

Discounts are available for multiple bookings from the same organisation.

We will ask for some information about your motivations for attending before we confirm your place. We want to ensure that attendees will be able to get the most out of the course and will let you know if we don’t think the course is the right fit.